(Reviewed by JD Jung)
In 1959, twenty-eight-year-old tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins disappeared for two years with the purpose of practicing and improving his craft. He wrote down his thoughts on technical aspects of the saxophone, “rethinking musical concepts”, as well as those on perseverance, and self-improvement and control. These notes are at the beginning of the book, The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins, and these notes continued through this century.
The notebooks will appeal to a niche audience, especially those who play the saxophone. However, as a jazz aficionado (particularly of the late 1950’s era), I found these writings instrumental in trying to understand the persona of this great jazz legend.
Rollins also wrote of his jazz contemporaries and influences, and later about his political and sociological thoughts and life in general. He included interesting sketches to amplify his notes.
Sonny Rollins is now ninety-three years old and has been considered “jazz’s greatest living improviser” by the New York Times. At only 166 pages, musicians and jazz fans alike will enjoy this book.
